The first of 25 apartment buildings to be demolished at the Poindexter Village complex came down
this morning after permits for its demolition were issued Tuesday.

Piles of bricks, broken wood and mangled metal fill the lot where the building once stood.
The entire demolition project is expected to take nine months to complete, said general contractor
Bill Watson, who was on the site this morning.

The demolition follows months of protest from area residents and groups that want to preserve
the complex, which they say represents the area’s African-American history.

Poindexter Village was the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority’s first public-housing
project, dedicated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Oct. 12, 1940.

Watson said he has heard no complaints today.

“Everyone out here has been friendly,” he said.

The complex has 35 buildings, but the demolition permits only allow for the destruction of
25, as an expert group is reviewing the remaining 10 buildings to determine whether they can be
saved.